Thats what I thought - I am definitely not a Harley guy.

[marriedman]

My buddy/mechanic has been bugging me all season to go riding with him. I finally had no reason not to go, so I went on my first poker run with him today.  Amongst 30+ bike, I was the only non Harley. Now, to their credit, not one person had a disparaging word about the NH. Matter of fact, lots of them had fond memories of their own NH's. I learned a lot from the ride today too:

1. I am a lot better rider than I thought I was -OR- the average Harley rider has not learned the concept of leaning & counter steer. Not one of the guys I saw could make a simple curve above 2nd gear. Major killjoy.

2. Harley's are loud. Now I know that sounds like a "Duh" comment, but this is the first time I have been in a large group of them. All of them have custom exhaust. It felt like I had jackhammers running next to me and the vibrations from all of them is actually quite fatiguing.

3. Harley riders ride like yo-yo's. They appear to be unable to maintain a constant velocity. After slowing down, they have to gun it so they can hear the exhaust "BLAT BLAT BLAT!" Then they slow down again.

4. On a Harley poker run, the best place to be is 2nd position. The captain/leader tends to be able to maintain a constant speed and doesn't drink since he has to be the role model. Everyone else has one or two in a 20 minute break! Another reason to ride in front; they wreck or wipe out, they won't take you out. Oh, and you are ahead of all their exhaust pipes.

5. These guys don't seem to be able to ride more than a few miles at a time. It felt like I had no sooner got my feet of the ground then we were stopping again. Kickstands went up at 1:00 and we wrapped up at 5:30. Know how many miles we got in? 63 miles. I mean, I wasn't expecting hundreds of miles, but I was hoping for more than a run to the grocery store.

Now I can say this though, after the ride was over, there was a pretty decent meal included with the price of the poker run along with door prizes. My buddy didn't drink all day either, so I didn't look like a teetotaler.  All in all, i am glad i went on the run, but I am pretty sure that I will not be going on another one.

[See-Three]

A couple weeks ago I got stuck behind a group of 30 Harley riders on some fun twisty back roads of NH. It honestly wasn't very fun once I got stuck behind them. Most corners were taken at 25mph on the 45mph road. I actually started to fell unsafe behind them, plus i had a growing supply of impatient cages behind me. It was amazing how often they were braking midway through corners and someone always seemed to be crossing the yellow lines. It felt like I was in some sort of parade, especially when passing through the small towns as everyone would stop and watch us pass by. Needless to say when the group turned into a gas station it was probably the high point of my trip.

[happycommuter]

I must be fair and state that there are riders and owners of Harley-Davidson motorcycles that are very proficient riders despite their choice of machine.  But yeah, the image factor of the average lemming buyer coincides with low capability and no desire to learn.  The bikes so dang loud that you can't hear or feel what your own engine is doing is very spooky.

Sometimes the contests after a poker run can be good fun to watch.  Specifically I think the slow race and the old hot-dog eating contest are a hoot.

I can state that, even though I prefer them, good sport bike rider groups get a couple knuckleheads that want to do dangerous passing, wild acceleration right before crap late braking, counterleaning and all sorts of atrocities.  The main difference is that one of them will predictably go off the road and then disappear for months while his ego heals.

It was amazing how often they were braking midway through corners...

I've been behind this type (and lived!) and sadly the nasty reality of group rides is that the most unskilled and slow necessarily get placed toward the front (lest they fall behind by several miles) and an awful accordion effect is induced for everyone.

[NHPep]

Insightful observations. Many guys want to belong to something.  The riding and being good at riding isn't the primary motivation for some.

Large groups of anything always triggers the "borg" alarm in me.  Guess it depends on how one is wired. 

[bajakirch]

I have to agree about the group rides. I haven't done many, but the ones I have aren't as much fun to me as just hitting the open road by myself, or maybe with a small group of like-minded riders.

This is one of the reasons I'm a big fan of a local ride called the 'Slimey Crud Run'. Not only does it openly welcome ALL bike riders, but there's no set departure or end time and there's no prescribed route. They just say, "The ride starts here and ends there. How and when you get there is up to you." That's my kind of riding.

[marriedman]

Insightful observations. Many guys want to belong to something.  The riding and being good at riding isn't the primary motivation for some.

I was just talking to my wife about this. I would love to have a small group to ride with, but I have now ridden with both the crotch rockets and Harleys and both styles do not fit me at all. Looks like I am going to be a solo rider.

The reason I ride isn't for the image, its for the perfect curve. When the shifting, braking, lean, & acceleration all come together perfectly. That exhilaration is unlike anything I have ever felt. Sure, there are people who can take the curves faster or tighter, but it's not about being the best. It's about doing it the best that I can. And the best part is that I get to keep practicing!

[detdrbuzzard]

i agree hc i know plenty hd riders that can ride but lots of them go the custom route and to achieve the look they lower their bike which didn't have much ground clearance to start with

[ariwhiteboy]

It's not just Harley guys, it's poker/toy runs in general. I don't go on group rides...I don't care what the cause is or who asks me to go, I just don't do them. 

[Bumblebee]

I don't go on group rides...I don't care what the cause is or who asks me to go, I just don't do them.  

+1

Solo riding only. I might ride with one other person, not two, just one, maybe. The primary filters for potential ride-alongs are Faceplant club membership, adequate dirt road experience and a desire for what others call unreasonable inconvenience.

[JB1290]

Actually...if you do go on another poker run with a bunch of power drinkers, the best place to be is in the rear BEHIND them. This way you don't get one run up your A$$ because they are too drunk to care about your safety.

I can't tell you how many times I have seen drunken riders rear end someone or go down and take out the people around them.   

Just sayin...

[drdubb]

I went on a group ride with the Southern Cruisers. The guy who invited me has the nickname of Spike. Of course he has spiked studs across the top of his brain bucket which surprised me.  I found the group to be disciplined in their riding and I did not observe any drinking. However, I really did not enjoy the ride. The folks were nice, but like BBee, I prefer riding alone or with one other like minded person. I might see something interesting and stop to take a pic or chat with the locals or take a turn down a strange road. Yesterday I did the "get lost on purpose" thing and enjoyed finding my was home. No agenda, no route, no set time.  Hard to do with a group.

ps I hate the loud pipes. Gets on my nerves and I know its not good for the image. You can't beat the low idle burble of the 750 nighthawk or the high end scream for a good motorcycle sound.

[Bumblebee]

the best place to be is in the rear BEHIND them.

Behind you they are a threat. In front, they are entertainment.

[hppants]

Tried the sport rider group here once with Ole Yella.  To their credit, they were not condensending, and some of the younger guys were even curious about yesterday's bike.  The ride for me lasted exactly 1 mile.  We pull out of the gas station - I'm about 10th in a group of 15 or so.  The kid behind me in a gixxer something or another proceeds to stand on it at about 40 mph as we go down the main drag in my town.  At the next red light, Pants pulls over, pretends to get a phone call, and it's Asta Lavista baby.

I've ridden several times with a small group of Harleys as well.  All professional people by day, and again very nice guys.  They are more infactuated with the IDEA of riding, than actually riding.  Like MM, I find them exceptionally slow, basically unskilled, and after the 30 mile ride, they are done and think they have actually gone somewhere.  I either lead, or go to the very back - no in between.

My favorite ride is with 2 or 3 like minded riders.  I can go up to 400 miles in a day, but would prefer about 250-300, leaving plenty of time for stops, eats, etc.  Once the group gets above 4, I get nervous.

I stopped at our Kawasaki dealership yesterday to look at the 2012 Connie - sadly, he doesn't get one for another week or two.  But the owner and me started talking.  He said the average bike he gets on trade has less than 2,000 miles per year on it.

[marriedman]

He said the average bike he gets on trade has less than 2,000 miles per year on it.

Doesn't that just blow your mind?! These HD's I was with had thousands of dollars in custom paint, exhaust, rims, hard bags... you name it. But they never ride the dang things!

I did get some flack from them for not having my chrome polished up, I'll give them that. I really should have cleaned my NH for the run, but I was too busy the night before RIDING it!

[JB1290]

He said the average bike he gets on trade has less than 2,000 miles per year on it.

Doesn't that just blow your mind?! These HD's I was with had thousands of dollars in custom paint, exhaust, rims, hard bags... you name it. But they never ride the dang things!

I did get some flack from them for not having my chrome polished up, I'll give them that. I really should have cleaned my NH for the run, but I was too busy the night before RIDING it!

It seems like the majority of HD owners care more about the looks and flash of their bikes than the function. Why else would someone pay hundreds of dollars for some bolt on crap that has no other function than to blind you with the reflection of the sun?   

When I bought my Sporty, a few of my friends bought Harleys at the same time. I put 8K on mine the first summer I owned it. They were lucky to hit 500. Why? Because they spent more time polishing their bikes and pushing them back into the garage.

On the flip side...I do know a few guys that have the dirtiest bikes on the planet and put 15K+ a year on their HD's. Kudos to those guys but, they are a dying breed.

[marriedman]

On the flip side...I do know a few guys that have the dirtiest bikes on the planet and put 15K+ a year on their HD's. Kudos to those guys but, they are a dying breed.

There was one guy on a full dresser that had a bike about as dirty as mine. Which according to some here is not that dirty. Anyway; he had patches all over his jacket and I over heard him saying he just got back from Hell Michigan. So maybe he does some riding. But there was no one else like that around. I almost forgot, I have a picture to share.

One of these things is not like the others...

[edac]

The only person I've ridden with has an 07 ultra classic with 50k on it.
 

[Tstang429]

Sorry to hear your experince. The only person I ride with is my best freind who got me into riding. He started with a 70's honda 100 and now rides an 09 nightster. He hates riding with most harley guys. Says on those runs he has done no one can maintain a steady speed its either to fast or to slow no nice cruising.

[BabyHawk250]

This is an interesting thread about group riding. 

I can say that when I first started to ride I used to be concerned about not having anybody else to ride with, not "belonging" to a group of some kind.  But after reading about some of you guys' experiences I don't think I'm missing much. 

But the more I learn and grow as I rider, the more I feel that I also prefer to ride alone and do my own thing, at my own pace.   

[bajakirch]

I just saw an ad on CL for Harley event pins.

Now I recognize there are bona fide collectors out there. But why do I think it's just as likely someone will purchase those for a leather vest to impress fellow HD'ers?

It's sort of like trailering your bike several hundred miles, then riding the last 100 into Daytona/Sturgis.  

[Burgi]

I've run across several Harley riders that had the standard issue black leather vest with HOG and all sorts of other patches that look as if they are fresh off the Harley rider assembly line. No way they have done any real riding time and stayed that shiny and clean, but I guess you gotta represent. 

[talespin]

1. I am a lot better rider than I thought I was -OR- the average Harley rider has not learned the concept of leaning & counter steer.

I'm guessing both are true.

[drdubb]

When tbante and I were at the info center on the BRP, there was a married couple, with their own tricked out harley, from wyoming, he was talking about the need to remember how to counter steer on the parkway. Where has he been riding?

[twoone60]

I road with a small group of ten bikes Saturday.  There were at least 4 Harleys. We were traveling at just above the speed limit in the range the most police officers would not bother you.   I did not see any thing with this group that made me think they were unsafe.
    Doing anything with a group has advantages and disadvantages.  This ride was mostly advantage.  Met some nice people, saw some nice rides, we even road each others bikes. Traveled some roads that I did not know.   I would have liked to stop for a photo a couple of times.  
  In almost any group there can be those that want to go so bad that they hold you up while they try to get ready.  I went on a jeep ride with a group .  The owner of our local 4 wheel drive shop had a just built heavily modified jeep that he was going to drive.  He had all kinds of problems and it took us 6 hours to go thirty miles.  Then there were the group problems.  When we would stop for gas everybody did not fill up.  Drive twenty miles and they want to stop for gas. 12 hours later we made it the three hundred miles.
   I think it is safer in a group.  I had a car hit me head-on while I was riding my XL500  in 1982.  The teenage driver though he killed me and kept going.  I was on the side of the road with my leg broken in 5 places for over 1 hour before I was able to crawl to the nearest house.  If I had been in a group I would have had help immediately.  
  I know that I will get home if something happens to my bike when I ride with a group,  The bad is that I might have to take someone else home.  
  You can learn from group,  Ask about tires or mods that some one has made. Help teach the new riders proper riding skills.
  If I am ridding with a group and see that they are not who I want to be with I let the someone in the group  know that I am going some where else. Then  they don't waist time looking for me, like a good group would.  

  Here is a story of a ride with a good group.http://nighthawk-forums.com/index.php/topic,11947.0.html
 
  
  

[ariwhiteboy]

I've run across several Harley riders that had the standard issue black leather vest with HOG and all sorts of other patches that look as if they are fresh off the Harley rider assembly line. No way they have done any real riding time and stayed that shiny and clean, but I guess you gotta represent. 

I love my smelly old mesh jacket that I've put my patches on...I have "I Rode Mine XX" patches from deals gap that say the year on them. While I've only been buying the patches for three years now, it cracks me up when I sew the newest one on and see the level of filth on the older patches. They were all black with nice white stitching when I bought them...not so much now.